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The Wi-Fi On the Bus

Posted by kdawson on from the opiate-of-the-masses dept.

theodp writes "For students who endure hundreds of hours on a school bus each year in a desert exurb of Tucson, the Wi-Fi on the bus improves the ride. Last fall, school officials mounted a $200 mobile Internet router from Autonet Mobile to bus No. 92's sheet-metal frame, enabling students to surf the Web. What began as a hi-tech experiment has had an unexpected result — Wi-Fi has transformed the formerly boisterous bus rides into a rolling study hall, and behavioral problems have virtually disappeared. 'Boys aren't hitting each other, girls are busy, and there's not so much jumping around,' said J. J. Johnson, the Internet Bus driver."

4 of 241 comments (clear)

  1. behavioral problems have virtually disappeared by fph+il+quozientatore · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "behavioral problems have virtually disappeared" --- well, that depends on what you consider a behavioral problem. I find it healthier for a bunch of kid to be noisy and hyperactive (even if this involves occasionally hitting each other) than to be all hunched down on their 7'' netbooks checking Facebook.

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  2. Embrace the power of porn... by Manip · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The boys are all looking at porn, and the girls are on social networks discussing how to get their boy's attention or how to make themselves look nicer than the professional porn stars...

    In all seriousness however, in ten years I imagine that the internet will be accessible in every location and being unable to access the internet in the middle of the desert or on top of a mountain will result in some serious complaints to the phone companies.

  3. Being the one usually getting hit. by maillemaker · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Since I was the one usually getting hit, frankly I dont' wouldn't care what they are were hunched down on as long as it isn't me.

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    A work that expires before its copyright never enters the public domain and thus enjoys eternal copyright protection.
  4. Re:Meh by kent_eh · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Or, you know, make sure that kids have to live closer to where they go to school and then make them walk to school.

    You have never lived outside of a densely populated urban area, have you?
    As a farm kid, I spent about an hour on the bus each day.
    I did ride my bike some days when it was warm enough, but 6 miles each way (2 of which were gravel road) took a lot of time away from chores, homework and sports.

    Our bus driver installed a car stereo in the bus (at his own expense) and put on the rock station to keep us quiet.

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    "I can't complain, but sometimes still do..." Joe Walsh